Client story - Ben

What did Ben gain from this experience?

Being productive at work is something we all find challenging from time to time. Sometimes to-do lists can seem endless and it’s easy to reach the point of overwhelm. Ben started working with me to find ways of not just getting more done, but completing the tasks he wanted to do.

Before coaching

Ben first heard about the benefits of coaching when I spoke publicly at networking meetings. He’d known me for a while and after hearing me speak decided to try a taster session. Many people have reservations about the coaching process and Ben felt this way at first but was prepared to give it a go.

‘I was quite sceptical about coaching as I never really thought it would work for me but Emma was offering a free session just to try so I thought I’d have a go. It was hard to know what to expect having never done it before and I get the impression it works differently for everyone. Emma said to keep an open mind about it and see it at first as just a conversation.’

After our initial session, Ben felt it had made an impact and decided to sign up for 6 more sessions.

The coaching

Coaching is very relaxed and client centred. Through having a focused coaching conversation, we draw out and identify what we need to address so the client can make conscious choices and decisions about the action they need to take.

‘To start with it’s just chatting and Emma knows how to get the best out of me in conversation and not to let me drift off, keeping it quite focused. A lot of it is drawing out of me what I need to do, what I want to do though she doesn’t tell me what she thinks I should do. I can’t really explain how she does it. She has her secret ways.’

Coaching often works on two levels: making the client accountable to someone else but mainly to themselves so they can take action more easily.

‘The sessions give me motivation and Emma draws the best out of me, encouraging me to get things done. I think we all have a long list of things we want to do in business but we sometimes never quite get around to it. I cross things off the list much quicker now and add things as I’m knocking them off so it’s certainly helped me.’

Gaining an outside viewpoint can be helpful for clients in the business world. We can sometimes exist in a bubble, interacting with the same people. As helpful as our colleagues, family and friends are, they are subjective. Coaching offers a safe place to sound out ideas and get encouragement from an outside perspective.

‘I’m the managing director of a family company so I’m at the top with my parents. It’s quite nice to have someone independent who can see I’m doing a good job. It’s encouraging as it makes you feel good but also focuses me on what else needs to be done. When someone is saying: ‘Why don’t you just do that?’ or ‘Just get on with it’, it makes you more confident in your own ideas.

We also set something to be done between sessions as homework and I set my own homework too which gives me encouragement to get on and do it before I see Emma again.’

It’s amazing how quickly productivity can improve with more conscious decision making. Coaching can bring about change very quickly.

‘I’m surprised at how much I get out of sessions. I wasn’t expecting to feel that much sense of achievement so soon but I can see it’s directly linked to coaching. It’s encouraging and pushes me to get on with things but it’s also about me pushing myself through conversations with Emma.

Certainly, after the first proper session and as things have moved on, I’ve really noticed a difference. I understand what Emma’s looking to get out of me so I get prepared for the next session each time. It’s not that I must do what’s on the list but I want to push myself to get the things done that I’ve set myself.’

Coaching sessions can be conducted in person, via Skype and over the phone. Each method is just as effective so it’s down to individual preference.

‘The first session I did was face to face but because I’m quite busy the rest have been over the phone. I’ve found the phone better as I don’t get as flustered as when someone is in front of me asking questions. I don’t have any problems talking to Emma at all as she’s very friendly and relaxed.’

The Impact of Coaching

It’s amazing the impact that improving productivity at work can have on all aspects of our lives. It takes a weight off our shoulders and frees us up to focus on the most important things.

‘It’s changed my work as I certainly don’t take as much on which has freed up some of my time. I try to delegate to others and give them the responsibility so I don’t spend as much time at work as I did before. This has given me more time to enjoy my home life.

Coaching is a great way to tackle productivity issues because it helps clients to become more discerning about what they want and need to do so they can find other means to get the rest done.

‘I’m certainly more focused on the tasks I want to do and getting rid of the things I don’t want to do. I used to say yes to quite a lot and now if I don’t want to do something I politely decline which has helped because I’m not taking on as much. Saying no has been the most helpful skill I’ve learnt. To be able to concentrate on what I want to do has helped a lot at work and at home.’

The coaching process does not need to be completely understood for clients to value it. Most clients wouldn’t think twice about recommending it when they recognise the impact it’s had on their lives.

‘I would certainly urge other people to give it a go. Coaching is difficult to explain because it works differently for different people. Emma just gets to the root cause of the problem and has a way of picking things out I hadn’t even given two thoughts to. I’d definitely recommend Emma to anyone, especially if they’ve never tried coaching before I’d say go ahead and try it.’